The city council has called for a “dialogue” with river boat dwellers as council representatives admit that they could have communicated better with the community.

Tomorrow, a 12-week consultation begins into proposals to change the way the council manages the moorings along the River Cam.

Last Thursday, boat dwellers and their supporters gathered outside the Guildhall in Cambridge to picket a full city council meeting that was taking place inside. They were objecting over fears the council’s policy could prohibit boats from mooring at the riverside wall on the River Cam.

During the meeting Eleanor Leeke, a riverboat resident, told councillors of her “terror” that she, and her family, might end up homeless as a result of the consultation.

Cambridge City Council strategic director, Suzanne McBride said: “I think we would recognise, because of the process we have been through, that we have not managed the process of communicating as well as we could have.

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“We want a dialogue and it is important that we take on board the negative views as well.”

She added that the consultation was a “genuine consultation process” rather than a referendum, and that ideas and criticism would all be taken on board when formulating the council’s policy. She urged people to get involved in the consultation and said she hoped to hear from riverboat dwellers, as well as from residents’ associations, rowers, and other river users.

Alistair Wilson, Green Space manager at the city council, said there were many reasons for wanting to run the consultation and noted that, currently, the council’s stance was too ambiguous. He said a better defined policy would even allow them to make improvements to river moorings.

Cllr Richard Robertson reiterated his reassurance that no registered boat dwellers would lose their home as a result of the consultation and that the council was committed to finding alternative mooring spots on the River Cam.

James Youd, Secretary of Cambridge Unite the Union Community, welcomed the prospect of better dialogue and praised the city council for acknowledging the need for better communication.